Battle Royale!
The U.S. and Canada Duke it out for the
President’s Cup on the Detroit River
This weekend the Metro Detroit
Chevy Dealers Hydrofest
hydroplane races on the
Detroit River features a battle for the
prestigious American Power Boat
Association’s (APBA) President’s Cup.
Detroit secured the rights to host
the President’s Cup for three years.
National champion and Detroit-area
native Andrew Tate won the last race for
the President’s Cup in 2017,
which was held in Detroit.
New this year is the Spirit
of Detroit Silver Cup. This
trophy is unique to Detroit
and commemorates the
history and importance
of the Detroit River to
hydroplane racing.
Both the President’s Cup
and the Spirit of Detroit
Silver Cup will be determined
on the Detroit River in the
now-exclusive Hydroplane Racing
League (HRL) race.
The HRL is based in Valleyfield,
Quebec. This will not only be a battle
between the U.S. and Canada, it’s a
three-way battle between the U.S.,
English-speaking Ontario and Frenchspeaking
Quebec.
In order to steer the historic 103-yearold
race on the Detroit River toward
the future, organizers Mark Weber,
Bruce Madej and Doug Bernstein opted
for an HRL-organized race, which
features Grand Prix, H-350 and Jersey
Skiff classes – all of which are Chevy
powered.
“Our goal for this year and the future
is non-stop action from start to finish,”
said Mark Weber, President of Detroit
Riverfront Events, Inc. He continued,
“We want to deliver a race to Detroiters
that will be exciting and fit modern
lifestyles. Racing fans do not have the
same viewing styles they did 20 years
ago or free time to spend an entire day
to watch one or two races.”
“The race will also have great food,
live music and an excellent array of hotrod
cars,” said Bruce Madej. “This year’s
format will however, keep you glued to
your seat.”
The HRL will be delivering 15 heat
races on Saturday and 14 more heat
races on Sunday, with three exhibitions
featuring vintage Unlimited hydroplanes
on each day as well.
The top contenders in the big-block
V8 Grand Prix class are Valleyfield (QC)
Grand Prix winner, Jimmy King (MI),
Brandon Kennedy (DE) and Doug Rapp,
who is from New Hampshire with a
Detroit-based race team. In the H-350
class, there will be six Americans and
10 Canadians – most of whom are from
Quebec. The top contender is Dylan
Runne (NJ), followed by Nicolas Rousse
(QBC) and former Detroiter, Donny Allen
(WI). Defending local President’s Cup
champion, Andrew Tate sits way down
in the standings in 9th place.
Dedicated, casual and fans new to
hydroplane racing will all have someone
to watch.
PHOTOS BY ROBERT F PETERS
2019 Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers Hydrofest 5